The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that smoking cigarettes kills half of its users before the age of 60, but the same cannot be said for bhang. Marijuana’s chemicals are blamed for the low mortality rate among users.

“Marijuana does not contain carcinogens, cancer-causing chemicals, so it cannot kill its users prematurely,” says forestry researcher Prof Daniel Nyamai. A professor at Rongo University, Prof Nyamai, says that smoking marijuana has not been associated with an increase in lung cancer cases. THC is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana, and cannabidiol (CBD) is the non-psychoactive component that has a calming effect. However, both have anti-tumor properties.

CIMMYT scientist and researcher Prof Christopher Ataro also agrees that marijuana users have a lower risk of premature death than those who smoke cigarettes. There is no evidence that marijuana has a significant negative public health impact on mortality, according to Prof Ataro. Traditional tobacco smokers are more likely to develop cancer and heart disease than non-smokers.

There is no overdose with marijuana, and it does not contain the carcinogens, mutagens, and toxins found in tobacco, so it cannot kill its users prematurely, and scientific data shows that its side effects outweigh its presumed health benefits.” Prof. Ataro explains that the cannabinoids in cannabis are useful in treating rare forms of epilepsy, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite associated with cancer chemotherapy.

Besides helping with insomnia, it also helps with anxiety and depression, as well as PTSD and muscle spasms and seizures. That doesn’t mean that marijuana is harmless because it’s still illegal and can have other negative effects. Its medical and recreational use in other countries like the Netherlands, Canada, and some states in the United States was in line with the bill sponsored by former Kibra MP Ken Okoth in 2018.

While Uganda exports industrial hemp, only three African countries — South Africa, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe — have legalized marijuana for recreational use. There hasn’t been enough research done to prove that marijuana is safe and effective for medicinal purposes, according to Catholic priest Fr John Maina.